Alcoholic deacidification and simultaneous deacidification-reduction evaluated after artificial and natural aging

Cellulose oxidative and hydrolytical degradation is one of the greatest problems for the conservationof paper supports. To contrast these degradation processes, both deacidification and reduction of theoxidized functions are needed. Dealing with original documents, it is often impossible to perform thetwo mentioned treatments in aqueous solutions and in a distinct subsequent way, because of the fragilityof the artifacts. After studying, in a separate way, an effective deacidifier (calcium propionate) solublein ethyl alcohol and many reducers (boron complexes), able to act in different non-aqueous solvents,it was decided to test a simultaneous method of deacidification and reduction in ethanol. This paperpresents the chemical-physical results obtained by applying simple deacidification and simultaneousdeacidification-reduction on laboratory paper samples that were artificially aged and then re-measuredafter 10 and 15 years of natural aging. Results show that all alcoholic treatments are very effective: papersare stable also after a long period of both artificial and natural aging.